Funding is $3.2 million from Goals 2000 for 25 grant awards at $125,000.
The grant program extends through September 30, 2001.

The program purposes are:

to promote the sharing of resources between pairs of school districts;
at least one of the partners in each pair must be an economically disadvantaged
district;

to establish distance learning activities and connectivity that provide
students with increased access to resources over distances

to share demonstrably effective innovative instructional program for
the achievement of the standards; and

to support the equitable distribution of teleconferencing capacity,
staffing, connectivity and professional development.

It is anticipated that there will be a Round II of sixteen (16) awards
with a maximum of $125,000 per award and a total of $2 million for funding.
The Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) is projected to be released in January
2001.